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When Lin-Sanity sparked just a few weeks ago those who took NBA odds for the New York Knicks were lucky enough to cash in on five wins in a row straight up and against the spread. Unfortunately, it appears the Knicks and it's underdog point guard are beginning to slow down.
When the Knicks faced the New Jersey Nets as -9 favorites, it was evident that teams weren't going to take Jeremy Lin lightly anymore. Nets point guard Deron Williams dropped 38 points on Lin, leading his Nets to beat the Knicks and crush the +9 odds with a 100-92 final.
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Lin started his uncanny string of games versus the Nets, and Williams wasn't going to get lit up again.
“It started on me,” Williams said. “It’s been stuck on my mind.”
Not only have players adjusted, it appears oddmakers have adjusted as well. After racking up eight wins in a row ATS the Knicks are .500, 3-3 ATS, for NBA bettors. Nobody is sleeping on Linsanity anymore.
And it's only going to get tougher. The Knicks are about to embark on a tough skid of games that started with the Atlanta Hawks last night - who they beat and covered as -7 favorites. Tonight they are at Miami, get a gimme versus Cleveland, are at Dallas, then San Antonio. Can they continue exceed expectations versus contenders?
“It’s going to be a high-energy game,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade said of tonight's bout with the Knicks. “The crowd is going to be into it. Fans around the world are going to watch the game, obviously, for many different reasons, so it’ll be great.”
The Heat are listed as 10-point favorites in the Bovada Sportsbook. We'll see if Lin has the ability to defy the odds once again.
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When the Knicks faced the New Jersey Nets as -9 favorites, it was evident that teams weren't going to take Jeremy Lin lightly anymore. Nets point guard Deron Williams dropped 38 points on Lin, leading his Nets to beat the Knicks and crush the +9 odds with a 100-92 final.
***
Bet on NBA odds in the Bovada Sportsbook!
***
Lin started his uncanny string of games versus the Nets, and Williams wasn't going to get lit up again.
“It started on me,” Williams said. “It’s been stuck on my mind.”
Not only have players adjusted, it appears oddmakers have adjusted as well. After racking up eight wins in a row ATS the Knicks are .500, 3-3 ATS, for NBA bettors. Nobody is sleeping on Linsanity anymore.
And it's only going to get tougher. The Knicks are about to embark on a tough skid of games that started with the Atlanta Hawks last night - who they beat and covered as -7 favorites. Tonight they are at Miami, get a gimme versus Cleveland, are at Dallas, then San Antonio. Can they continue exceed expectations versus contenders?
“It’s going to be a high-energy game,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade said of tonight's bout with the Knicks. “The crowd is going to be into it. Fans around the world are going to watch the game, obviously, for many different reasons, so it’ll be great.”
The Heat are listed as 10-point favorites in the Bovada Sportsbook. We'll see if Lin has the ability to defy the odds once again.
Back in Business.
The biggest stars hit the hardwood.
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It’s arguably the toughest ticket in years in Miami on Thursday night as the Jeremy Lin phenomenon visits South Florida for the first time when the New York Knicks face the Miami Heat in the TNT national TV opener. The Heat are 9.5-point favorites on Bovada’s NBA basketball odds with live betting available.
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Miami has looked invincible of late, having won seven straight games – all by double digits, and five of those coming on the road. The Heat, who lead the NBA in scoring, put up 120 points in a 12-point home win over Sacramento on Tuesday in their last game to improve to 14-2 at home. Dwyane Wade had arguably his best game of the season with 30 points and 10 assists and shot at least 50 percent from the field for the 11th game in a row, which is amazing for a guard. That ties a career-best run for Wade.
The Knicks got back to .500 on Wednesday night with an easy 99-82 home win over the Atlanta Hawks, improving New York to 9-2 since Lin took over as the starting point guard. Lin had 17 points and nine assists, sitting out most of the fourth quarter because the Knicks were comfortably ahead. The Knicks shot 52 percent in the first half, scored 30 points in both periods, and led 60-35 at the break. Carmelo Anthony, in his second game back from a groin injury, had 15 points.
As star-studded as the Heat are, even they are ready for the hype that Lin brings. LeBron James said tonight could be "one of the most watched games we've had in a long time, especially with what Jeremy Lin is doing."
The Knicks did visit Miami once this year, falling 99-89 as a 12-point underdog on Jan. 27. New York played without an injured Anthony in that one and hoisted an NBA season-high 43 3-pointers. The Knicks made 18 of them but shot only 35.7 from the floor overall. LeBron and Wade combined for 59 points in the win. Lin? He didn’t play. The Heat have won eight in a row over New York. However, the Knicks have covered in the past four meetings.
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Miami has looked invincible of late, having won seven straight games – all by double digits, and five of those coming on the road. The Heat, who lead the NBA in scoring, put up 120 points in a 12-point home win over Sacramento on Tuesday in their last game to improve to 14-2 at home. Dwyane Wade had arguably his best game of the season with 30 points and 10 assists and shot at least 50 percent from the field for the 11th game in a row, which is amazing for a guard. That ties a career-best run for Wade.
The Knicks got back to .500 on Wednesday night with an easy 99-82 home win over the Atlanta Hawks, improving New York to 9-2 since Lin took over as the starting point guard. Lin had 17 points and nine assists, sitting out most of the fourth quarter because the Knicks were comfortably ahead. The Knicks shot 52 percent in the first half, scored 30 points in both periods, and led 60-35 at the break. Carmelo Anthony, in his second game back from a groin injury, had 15 points.
As star-studded as the Heat are, even they are ready for the hype that Lin brings. LeBron James said tonight could be "one of the most watched games we've had in a long time, especially with what Jeremy Lin is doing."
The Knicks did visit Miami once this year, falling 99-89 as a 12-point underdog on Jan. 27. New York played without an injured Anthony in that one and hoisted an NBA season-high 43 3-pointers. The Knicks made 18 of them but shot only 35.7 from the floor overall. LeBron and Wade combined for 59 points in the win. Lin? He didn’t play. The Heat have won eight in a row over New York. However, the Knicks have covered in the past four meetings.
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The NBA’s All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest isn’t dead yet, but interest in this season’s event likely will be at an all-time low as the four players involved are mostly no-names to the average NBA fan. Indiana Pacers guard Paul George is the +150 betting favorite at Bovada’s NBA basketball odds to win Saturday’s night’s contest in Orlando.
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There will be no judges on hand this year, and it has been shortened to one round, with each player having to execute three dunks. Fans will vote the winner, and voting will be open after all four players have completed their first dunk. Previously, the Dunk Contest consisted of two rounds, with the first round scored by a panel of judges, which determined the finalists. Fans can vote on Twitter by posting a corresponding letter assigned to each dunker along with the hashtag #SpriteSlam, as well as through text messaging and on NBA-com.
George didn’t open as the favorite – Knicks rookie guard Iman Shumpert did. But Shumpert had to pull out of the event because of a minor knee injury that forced him to sit the final two games before the break. Shumpert was going to have media darling Jeremy Lin help him on his dunks. George, meanwhile, is the only starter among the four competitors this year and tried to get into last year’s contest, which was won memorably by Blake Griffin. George says he has a dunk ready that has “never been done before in the contest.”
Utah’s Jeremy Evans, who barely leaves the bench, is the second-favorite at +275. He was the injury replacement for Shumpert. While most NBA fans probably have no idea who Evans is, he has scored a total of 88 baskets in his two seasons and 61 of them have been dunks. Minnesota’s Derrick Williams, the second overall pick in last year’s NBA draft after a stellar sophomore season at Arizona, is next at +300. Williams may have the assistance of Timberwolves rookie phenom Ricky Rubio. And last is Houston’s Chase Budinger at +400. Budinger nearly won the dunk contest at the 2006 McDonald’s All-American high school game and there are rumors he will attempt a dunk over a cardboard likeness of Yao Ming, his former 7-foot-6 teammate.
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There will be no judges on hand this year, and it has been shortened to one round, with each player having to execute three dunks. Fans will vote the winner, and voting will be open after all four players have completed their first dunk. Previously, the Dunk Contest consisted of two rounds, with the first round scored by a panel of judges, which determined the finalists. Fans can vote on Twitter by posting a corresponding letter assigned to each dunker along with the hashtag #SpriteSlam, as well as through text messaging and on NBA-com.
George didn’t open as the favorite – Knicks rookie guard Iman Shumpert did. But Shumpert had to pull out of the event because of a minor knee injury that forced him to sit the final two games before the break. Shumpert was going to have media darling Jeremy Lin help him on his dunks. George, meanwhile, is the only starter among the four competitors this year and tried to get into last year’s contest, which was won memorably by Blake Griffin. George says he has a dunk ready that has “never been done before in the contest.”
Utah’s Jeremy Evans, who barely leaves the bench, is the second-favorite at +275. He was the injury replacement for Shumpert. While most NBA fans probably have no idea who Evans is, he has scored a total of 88 baskets in his two seasons and 61 of them have been dunks. Minnesota’s Derrick Williams, the second overall pick in last year’s NBA draft after a stellar sophomore season at Arizona, is next at +300. Williams may have the assistance of Timberwolves rookie phenom Ricky Rubio. And last is Houston’s Chase Budinger at +400. Budinger nearly won the dunk contest at the 2006 McDonald’s All-American high school game and there are rumors he will attempt a dunk over a cardboard likeness of Yao Ming, his former 7-foot-6 teammate.
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Anthony Morrow probably isn’t known by the casual NBA fans. After all, the shooting guard plays for the downtrodden New Jersey Nets and isn’t even a starter. But Morrow is the one to beat according to oddsmakers for Saturday night’s 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend in Orlando. Morrow is 3/1 on Bovada’s NBA basketball player props.
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Morrow is among the 3-point leaders in the league with 68 and he shoots a solid 40.2 percent from long range. Morrow will pay tribute to the late Drazen Petrovic, a former Nets star, at the contest. Petrovic was one of the NBA’s best long-range shooters during his career and a pioneer in Eastern Europeans coming to the NBA. He was a Net from midway through the 1990-91 season until 1993 and left a large impression on the franchise. Petrovic died in a car crash at 28 that summer. His No. 3 jersey is one of five retired by the organization and he was posthumously enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Morrow has had the idea since he saw Petrovic's jersey hanging in the Nets' practice facility.
The Magic’s Ryan Anderson will have the home-court advantage and he is next at 13/4 to win. The 6-foot-10 power forward leads the NBA in 3-pointers made and attempted. No Magic player has ever won this event.
Miami’s James Jones is the defending champion and is the Bovada second favorite at 15/4. In 2011, Jones held off Boston teammates Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to win his first 3-Point Contest, scoring 20 points in the final round. Jones, a nine-year veteran role player who rarely shoots inside the 3-point line, made five straight shots late in the final round. It was the third time in the past five seasons that a Heat player won the event.
Jones’ Heat teammate, point guard Mario Chalmers, is next at 4/1. He is followed by Thunder superstar Kevin Durant at 5/1 and Timberwolves star Kevin Love at 6/1. Durant was an injury replacement for injured Hawks guard Joe Johnson. The 6-foot-10, 260-pound Love is known as one of the NBA’s premier inside forces but averages 4.4 3-point attempts per game and shoots 34.8 percent from long range.
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Morrow is among the 3-point leaders in the league with 68 and he shoots a solid 40.2 percent from long range. Morrow will pay tribute to the late Drazen Petrovic, a former Nets star, at the contest. Petrovic was one of the NBA’s best long-range shooters during his career and a pioneer in Eastern Europeans coming to the NBA. He was a Net from midway through the 1990-91 season until 1993 and left a large impression on the franchise. Petrovic died in a car crash at 28 that summer. His No. 3 jersey is one of five retired by the organization and he was posthumously enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Morrow has had the idea since he saw Petrovic's jersey hanging in the Nets' practice facility.
The Magic’s Ryan Anderson will have the home-court advantage and he is next at 13/4 to win. The 6-foot-10 power forward leads the NBA in 3-pointers made and attempted. No Magic player has ever won this event.
Miami’s James Jones is the defending champion and is the Bovada second favorite at 15/4. In 2011, Jones held off Boston teammates Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to win his first 3-Point Contest, scoring 20 points in the final round. Jones, a nine-year veteran role player who rarely shoots inside the 3-point line, made five straight shots late in the final round. It was the third time in the past five seasons that a Heat player won the event.
Jones’ Heat teammate, point guard Mario Chalmers, is next at 4/1. He is followed by Thunder superstar Kevin Durant at 5/1 and Timberwolves star Kevin Love at 6/1. Durant was an injury replacement for injured Hawks guard Joe Johnson. The 6-foot-10, 260-pound Love is known as one of the NBA’s premier inside forces but averages 4.4 3-point attempts per game and shoots 34.8 percent from long range.
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Miami Heat superstar LeBron James is the big favorite to win the NBA’s regular-season MVP award and James is also the favorite on Bovada’s NBA basketball odds to win his third All-Star Game MVP award on Sunday night in Orlando.
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James has won two All-Star Game MVP awards, joining Bob Cousy, Bob Petit, Oscar Robertson, Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant as the only players with multiple MVP awards. Bryant, who won it last year in Los Angeles, and Petit lead the way with four apiece.
LeBron’s first MVP award came in 2006 in Houston when as a member of the Cavaliers he led the East to a 122-120 win over the West. James scored 29 points, fueled a second-half comeback and disrupted Tracy McGrady's potential tying jumper as the Eastern Conference rallied for the win. James was just 21 at the time, becoming the youngest All-Star MVP. He won it again two years later, also still as a Cav, in the East’s 134-128 win over the West in New Orleans. LeBron nearly had a triple-double with 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
The second-favorite is two-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant of the Thunder. Durant, who is second in the league in scoring this season at 27.7, a little less than a point behind Kobe, has yet to win an All-Star Game MVP. Durant did have 34 points in last year’s game. His coach, Scott Brooks, will lead the West team. Bryant is at 15/2 to win a record fifth MVP award. Last year in leading the West to a 148-143 win in Los Angeles, Kobe had 37 points and 14 rebounds.
Hometown players often have an edge in winning MVP awards in the All-Star Game, and Orlando center Dwight Howard is also at 15/2. He has yet to win an All-Star Game MVP and this could well be his final ASG as a member of the Magic.
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James has won two All-Star Game MVP awards, joining Bob Cousy, Bob Petit, Oscar Robertson, Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant as the only players with multiple MVP awards. Bryant, who won it last year in Los Angeles, and Petit lead the way with four apiece.
LeBron’s first MVP award came in 2006 in Houston when as a member of the Cavaliers he led the East to a 122-120 win over the West. James scored 29 points, fueled a second-half comeback and disrupted Tracy McGrady's potential tying jumper as the Eastern Conference rallied for the win. James was just 21 at the time, becoming the youngest All-Star MVP. He won it again two years later, also still as a Cav, in the East’s 134-128 win over the West in New Orleans. LeBron nearly had a triple-double with 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
The second-favorite is two-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant of the Thunder. Durant, who is second in the league in scoring this season at 27.7, a little less than a point behind Kobe, has yet to win an All-Star Game MVP. Durant did have 34 points in last year’s game. His coach, Scott Brooks, will lead the West team. Bryant is at 15/2 to win a record fifth MVP award. Last year in leading the West to a 148-143 win in Los Angeles, Kobe had 37 points and 14 rebounds.
Hometown players often have an edge in winning MVP awards in the All-Star Game, and Orlando center Dwight Howard is also at 15/2. He has yet to win an All-Star Game MVP and this could well be his final ASG as a member of the Magic.
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The Dallas Mavericks weren't the championship favorites heading into the playoffs last season, but they ended up winning it all anyway. Mark Cuban's squad finds itself in a similar position this season, back in the pack heading into the second half of the year. Get your NBA betting line for the postseason at Bovada.
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The Mavericks come out of the All-Star Break in second place in the Southwest Division and fourth in the Western Conference at 21-13. They're also 20-14 against the spread and 14-20 on the OVER/UNDER through 34 games.
That has the Mavericks trailing the Spurs by three games in the division standings, but that can't be much of a concern for them – they ended up four games back of San Antonio in the Southwest last season but still won the championship.
On the NBA futures board at Bovada the Mavericks are listed back at 18/1 odds to win the title for a second season in a row, which puts them seventh behind the Heat (3/2), Thunder (17/4), Bulls (5/1), Clippers (12/1), Lakers (14/1), and Spurs (14/1).
Dallas is also fifth at 7/1 odds to win the Western Conference once again this year; they're behind the Thunder (5/4), Clippers (11/2), Spurs (11/2), and Lakers (6/1) on that list.
Mavs leader Dirk Nowitzki had an up-and-down start to this season, but he's now 11th in the league at 19.6 PPG (compared to his career average of 22.9 PPG). Dallas will be hoping to get Nowitzki back to the dominant form he showed on last year's championship run.
The Mavs will also be looking for more from Lamar Odom in the second half, as he's averaging just 7.7 PPG and 4.5 RPG in his first season in Dallas. As well, guard Delonte West is still a few weeks away from returning to action – he has a broken finger.
Dallas will play their first game of the second half of the year on Tuesday at home against New Jersey; they've won seven of their past 10 games heading into that contest.
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The Mavericks come out of the All-Star Break in second place in the Southwest Division and fourth in the Western Conference at 21-13. They're also 20-14 against the spread and 14-20 on the OVER/UNDER through 34 games.
That has the Mavericks trailing the Spurs by three games in the division standings, but that can't be much of a concern for them – they ended up four games back of San Antonio in the Southwest last season but still won the championship.
On the NBA futures board at Bovada the Mavericks are listed back at 18/1 odds to win the title for a second season in a row, which puts them seventh behind the Heat (3/2), Thunder (17/4), Bulls (5/1), Clippers (12/1), Lakers (14/1), and Spurs (14/1).
Dallas is also fifth at 7/1 odds to win the Western Conference once again this year; they're behind the Thunder (5/4), Clippers (11/2), Spurs (11/2), and Lakers (6/1) on that list.
Mavs leader Dirk Nowitzki had an up-and-down start to this season, but he's now 11th in the league at 19.6 PPG (compared to his career average of 22.9 PPG). Dallas will be hoping to get Nowitzki back to the dominant form he showed on last year's championship run.
The Mavs will also be looking for more from Lamar Odom in the second half, as he's averaging just 7.7 PPG and 4.5 RPG in his first season in Dallas. As well, guard Delonte West is still a few weeks away from returning to action – he has a broken finger.
Dallas will play their first game of the second half of the year on Tuesday at home against New Jersey; they've won seven of their past 10 games heading into that contest.
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Have Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder arrived as the top team in the Western Conference? They lead that pack heading into the second half of the season this week. Bet on the NBA and weigh in for yourself.
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The Thunder sit first in both the Northwest Division standings and the Western Conference at 27-7 coming out of the All-Star Break, and they're a healthy nine games up on Portland for their division crown. Last year a 55-27 Thunder club won the Northwest by five games over the Nuggets.
But last year the Thunder also fell short in the playoffs, losing in five games to the eventual-champion Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. The consensus was that young Oklahoma City wasn't yet ready to win a title.
With two of the league's two five scorers, however, the Thunder look ready to run with anyone in this year's playoffs. Durant is second in the league at 27.9 PPG, with Russell Westbrook fifth at 23.5 PPG.
And that has the Thunder high on the NBA futures list at Bovada, as they sit at 17/4 to win the championship this spring – behind only the 3/2 Heat and just ahead of the 5/1 Bulls.
Oklahoma City is also pegged at 5/4 to win the Western Conference in this year's playoffs, and that's the top odds on that list; the Clippers and Spurs are both second at 11/2, with the Lakers (6/1) and Mavericks (7/1) a step back.
The Thunder head into the second half on a roll, having won five games in a row and eight of their past 10 contests. For bettors, Oklahoma City sits at 19-15 against the spread through 34 games, and 17-17 on the OVER/UNDER.
Durant and company return to the floor on Wednesday night on the road in Philadelphia.
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The Thunder sit first in both the Northwest Division standings and the Western Conference at 27-7 coming out of the All-Star Break, and they're a healthy nine games up on Portland for their division crown. Last year a 55-27 Thunder club won the Northwest by five games over the Nuggets.
But last year the Thunder also fell short in the playoffs, losing in five games to the eventual-champion Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. The consensus was that young Oklahoma City wasn't yet ready to win a title.
With two of the league's two five scorers, however, the Thunder look ready to run with anyone in this year's playoffs. Durant is second in the league at 27.9 PPG, with Russell Westbrook fifth at 23.5 PPG.
And that has the Thunder high on the NBA futures list at Bovada, as they sit at 17/4 to win the championship this spring – behind only the 3/2 Heat and just ahead of the 5/1 Bulls.
Oklahoma City is also pegged at 5/4 to win the Western Conference in this year's playoffs, and that's the top odds on that list; the Clippers and Spurs are both second at 11/2, with the Lakers (6/1) and Mavericks (7/1) a step back.
The Thunder head into the second half on a roll, having won five games in a row and eight of their past 10 contests. For bettors, Oklahoma City sits at 19-15 against the spread through 34 games, and 17-17 on the OVER/UNDER.
Durant and company return to the floor on Wednesday night on the road in Philadelphia.
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The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a nightmare spot in the standings heading into the second half of the season – behind the Los Angeles Clippers. The struggles have already impacted their NBA odds. Passing their fellow L.A. club will be their first order of business as they return to action this week.
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Kobe Bryant and company are currently 20-14 on the season, which has them fifth in the Western Conference and 1.5 games behind the 20-11 Clippers in the Pacific Division standings. And the Clippers have also been a better wagering option than the Lakers so far this season, at 17-13-1 against the spread compared to the Lakers' 16-18 ATS mark. The Lakers are also 15-19 on the OVER/UNDER through 34 games.
That's despite Bryant leading the entire league at 28.4 PPG heading into the second half of the season. Fellow All-Stars Pau Gasol (17.0 PPG, 10.6 RPG) and Andrew Bynum (16.3 PPG, 12.8 RPG) have also done their part for the Lakers this season.
On the NBA futures board the Lakers trail the Clippers as well right now; the Lakers are at 14/1 to win the championship this year, with the Clippers just ahead of them at 12/1. The Lakers are also sitting at 6/1 odds to claim the Western Conference in the playoffs this year.
The Lakers were embarrassed by the Mavericks in the postseason last year, getting swept in the second round, so they'll be looking for some payback this spring – and leaping over the Clippers and winning the Pacific Division title will help their playoff positioning.
The Lakers are back in action on Wednesday night this week at home against Minnesota.
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Kobe Bryant and company are currently 20-14 on the season, which has them fifth in the Western Conference and 1.5 games behind the 20-11 Clippers in the Pacific Division standings. And the Clippers have also been a better wagering option than the Lakers so far this season, at 17-13-1 against the spread compared to the Lakers' 16-18 ATS mark. The Lakers are also 15-19 on the OVER/UNDER through 34 games.
That's despite Bryant leading the entire league at 28.4 PPG heading into the second half of the season. Fellow All-Stars Pau Gasol (17.0 PPG, 10.6 RPG) and Andrew Bynum (16.3 PPG, 12.8 RPG) have also done their part for the Lakers this season.
On the NBA futures board the Lakers trail the Clippers as well right now; the Lakers are at 14/1 to win the championship this year, with the Clippers just ahead of them at 12/1. The Lakers are also sitting at 6/1 odds to claim the Western Conference in the playoffs this year.
The Lakers were embarrassed by the Mavericks in the postseason last year, getting swept in the second round, so they'll be looking for some payback this spring – and leaping over the Clippers and winning the Pacific Division title will help their playoff positioning.
The Lakers are back in action on Wednesday night this week at home against Minnesota.
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Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves (Flickr Creative Commons)
With a chance to actually make the playoffs this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves will tip off the second half of their campaign on Tuesday night at the Staples Center against the Los Angeles Clippers. Get your NBA odds for the run at Bovada.
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The Timberwolves come out of the All-Star Break 10 games back of Oklahoma City in fourth place in the Northwest Division standings – and at 100/1 odds to win the title at Bovada – but they're also only a single game back of Portland for eighth in the West.
That's solid progress for a team that finished 29 games out of a playoff spot last year.
The Clippers ended up 14 games out of a playoff spot last year, but with Chris Paul around this season they enter the second half 1.5 games up on the rival Lakers in the Pacific Division standings, and third overall in the Western Conference.
The Clippers, though, were tagged with a loss by the Timberwolves at home back on January 20 – albeit on a night when Paul sat out with a hamstring injury. Minnesota won that game 101-98 on a late three-pointer by Kevin Love.
Love scored 17 points and also contributed 14 rebounds that night for the T-Wolves, who also grabbed the ATS win and sit at 19-15 ATS through 34 games. The Clippers are 17-13-1 ATS on the season.
Overall the Timberwolves are 4-6 straight up and 5-5 against the spread in their last 10 games against the Clippers, with totals bettors seeing the series go 5-5 on the OVER/UNDER in those 10 contests. That January matchup was an OVER result.
With a chance to actually make the playoffs this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves will tip off the second half of their campaign on Tuesday night at the Staples Center against the Los Angeles Clippers. Get your NBA odds for the run at Bovada.
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The Timberwolves come out of the All-Star Break 10 games back of Oklahoma City in fourth place in the Northwest Division standings – and at 100/1 odds to win the title at Bovada – but they're also only a single game back of Portland for eighth in the West.
That's solid progress for a team that finished 29 games out of a playoff spot last year.
The Clippers ended up 14 games out of a playoff spot last year, but with Chris Paul around this season they enter the second half 1.5 games up on the rival Lakers in the Pacific Division standings, and third overall in the Western Conference.
The Clippers, though, were tagged with a loss by the Timberwolves at home back on January 20 – albeit on a night when Paul sat out with a hamstring injury. Minnesota won that game 101-98 on a late three-pointer by Kevin Love.
Love scored 17 points and also contributed 14 rebounds that night for the T-Wolves, who also grabbed the ATS win and sit at 19-15 ATS through 34 games. The Clippers are 17-13-1 ATS on the season.
Overall the Timberwolves are 4-6 straight up and 5-5 against the spread in their last 10 games against the Clippers, with totals bettors seeing the series go 5-5 on the OVER/UNDER in those 10 contests. That January matchup was an OVER result.
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Outside of an ugly dunk contest and LeBron James passing up yet another game-winning shot, NBA bettors got a drama free NBA All-Star Weekend that, once again, easily went OVER the Total.
Unfortunately, at some point in the friendly NBA contest Kobe Bryant was accidently popped in the face by Dwyane Wade, putting his status tonight in doubt with a broken nose and concussion.
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However, current news out of Los Angeles is that Kobe has passed two tests without showing any symptoms of head injury. He will play 2-on-2 and then be re-evaluated before Wednesday’s game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Betting Analysis: NBA lines in the Bovada Sportsbook already favor the Lakers, giving bettors a clue that Bryant seems poised to start. Any bettor who has kept track of The Black Mamba’s career knows that he’s played through plenty of injuries, including a torn ligament in his wrist this year through all 34 of the Lakers’ games.
Bettors should keep in mind that Kevin Love, who was injured last night after taking a shot to the ribs, should be good to go tonight in L.A.
“I got it X-rayed and everything seems to be fine,” Love said.
Obviously if Bryant is a last minute scratch everything changes. Minnesota proved capable of beating teams despite a bad performance from Love with its 109-97 comeback win last night. The Lakers likely need Kobe to cover.
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Unfortunately, at some point in the friendly NBA contest Kobe Bryant was accidently popped in the face by Dwyane Wade, putting his status tonight in doubt with a broken nose and concussion.
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However, current news out of Los Angeles is that Kobe has passed two tests without showing any symptoms of head injury. He will play 2-on-2 and then be re-evaluated before Wednesday’s game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Betting Analysis: NBA lines in the Bovada Sportsbook already favor the Lakers, giving bettors a clue that Bryant seems poised to start. Any bettor who has kept track of The Black Mamba’s career knows that he’s played through plenty of injuries, including a torn ligament in his wrist this year through all 34 of the Lakers’ games.
Bettors should keep in mind that Kevin Love, who was injured last night after taking a shot to the ribs, should be good to go tonight in L.A.
“I got it X-rayed and everything seems to be fine,” Love said.
Obviously if Bryant is a last minute scratch everything changes. Minnesota proved capable of beating teams despite a bad performance from Love with its 109-97 comeback win last night. The Lakers likely need Kobe to cover.
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One of the top teams in the Western Conference will take on one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday night as the San Antonio Spurs play host to the Chicago Bulls. Get your NBA betting line fix for the match at Bovada.
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And while the demise of the Spurs has been predicted for several seasons, the franchise keeps stringing together wins – they're 24-10 straight up and 20-13-1 against the spread heading into their game against Chicago on Wednesday night.
That mark is good enough for the Spurs to sit second behind only the Thunder in the Western Conference standings to start the second half of the season, and they're also at 14/1 odds to win the NBA championship this year at Bovada.
The Bulls, looking to run away with the Central Division crown, are at 5/1 to win it all.
San Antonio, though, has struggled against Chicago in recent meetings, going just 1-3 both straight up and against the spread in the last four matchups between the teams.
Chicago rolled to a 109-99 win at home over San Antonio when the teams last met in February 2011, with the Bulls managing to cover the 2-point spread in that contest. The combined score broke up a string of seven straight UNDER results in the series.
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili won't be in the lineup for the Spurs on Wednesday, as he's still nursing an oblique injury and isn't expected to return to action for at least another week. Guard Kawhi Leonard is also day-to-day for San Antonio with a calf injury.
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And while the demise of the Spurs has been predicted for several seasons, the franchise keeps stringing together wins – they're 24-10 straight up and 20-13-1 against the spread heading into their game against Chicago on Wednesday night.
That mark is good enough for the Spurs to sit second behind only the Thunder in the Western Conference standings to start the second half of the season, and they're also at 14/1 odds to win the NBA championship this year at Bovada.
The Bulls, looking to run away with the Central Division crown, are at 5/1 to win it all.
San Antonio, though, has struggled against Chicago in recent meetings, going just 1-3 both straight up and against the spread in the last four matchups between the teams.
Chicago rolled to a 109-99 win at home over San Antonio when the teams last met in February 2011, with the Bulls managing to cover the 2-point spread in that contest. The combined score broke up a string of seven straight UNDER results in the series.
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili won't be in the lineup for the Spurs on Wednesday, as he's still nursing an oblique injury and isn't expected to return to action for at least another week. Guard Kawhi Leonard is also day-to-day for San Antonio with a calf injury.
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Winners of five games in a row coming out of the All-Star Break, the Oklahoma City Thunder, with NBA odds behind them, will return to action on Wednesday night in Philadelphia against the Sixers.
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At 27-7 straight up (19-15 against the spread) the Thunder begin the second half of the season in first place in the Western Conference standings, and second behind only the Miami Heat at 17/4 at Bovada to win the NBA championship in the spring.
The Thunder are also favored at 5/4 odds to win the Western Conference this season.
And Kevin Durant – who won the All-Star Game's MVP award over the weekend – will be continuing his MVP-calibre campaign on Wednesday, as he's averaging 27.9 PPG for the Thunder this season. Durant is at 6/1 odds at Bovada to win the NBA MVP award.
The Sixers struggled heading into the All-Star Break last weekend, and they'll be spending the second half of the season trying to hold off both the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics for first place in the Atlantic Division standings.
That means they'll want to reverse their recent trend against the Thunder on Wednesday night, as the Sixers are 0-5 in their past five games versus Oklahoma City. The last time the Sixers beat the Thunder franchise was back in November 2008.
Bettors laying down cash on the Sixers against the Thunder lately haven't been happy with the results either, with Philadelphia just 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings between the two teams. The OVER/UNDER went 4-1 in those five matchups.
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At 27-7 straight up (19-15 against the spread) the Thunder begin the second half of the season in first place in the Western Conference standings, and second behind only the Miami Heat at 17/4 at Bovada to win the NBA championship in the spring.
The Thunder are also favored at 5/4 odds to win the Western Conference this season.
And Kevin Durant – who won the All-Star Game's MVP award over the weekend – will be continuing his MVP-calibre campaign on Wednesday, as he's averaging 27.9 PPG for the Thunder this season. Durant is at 6/1 odds at Bovada to win the NBA MVP award.
The Sixers struggled heading into the All-Star Break last weekend, and they'll be spending the second half of the season trying to hold off both the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics for first place in the Atlantic Division standings.
That means they'll want to reverse their recent trend against the Thunder on Wednesday night, as the Sixers are 0-5 in their past five games versus Oklahoma City. The last time the Sixers beat the Thunder franchise was back in November 2008.
Bettors laying down cash on the Sixers against the Thunder lately haven't been happy with the results either, with Philadelphia just 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings between the two teams. The OVER/UNDER went 4-1 in those five matchups.
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With the NBA’s trading deadline two weeks from today, the rumors of big names on the move will start to really heat up. And it appears that one All-Star is definitely on the block: Boston point guard Rajon Rondo.
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Celtics boss Danny Ainge is already on record as saying he would trade anybody, and in fact he already had offered Rondo to the New Orleans Hornets in a trade for Chris Paul before the season. It doesn’t appear that the Celtics are a championship threat any longer and a trade of Rondo would bring back the most in return. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are both in the final years of their contracts and could be dealt but wouldn’t bring much in return. Paul Pierce has value even though his contract isn’t as friendly as Rondo’s and despite his age, but Pierce also could be moved.
Reports out of Boston are that Rondo’s attitude and work ethic changed after Boston traded Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City at the trade deadline a season ago. According to ESPN-com, “the Celtics find Rondo's personality to be too high-maintenance and his clashes with coach Doc Rivers remain an off-court distraction.” So now the team is “actively” trying to trade him.
The big rumor is Rondo going to the Los Angeles Lakers for Pau Gasol. A point guard could be the missing piece for the Lakers. The Golden State Warriors also have had interest in Rondo. The Orlando Magic could have interest to placate Dwight Howard and Rondo would be a major upgrade over Jameer Nelson – although it’s hard to see Orlando having the pieces to send Boston.
Rondo played one of his best games of the season on Wednesday, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading third triple-double of the season. He also completely shut down Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings as the Celtics won their second in a row to start the second half of the season to pull back to .500 at 17-17.
Rondo is averaging a career-high 14.1 points per game to go along with 9.6 assists and 1.6 steals. He has endured a difficult season with the trade rumors, an eight-game absence because of a sprained right wrist, and a two-game suspension for throwing the ball at an official. He has three years and $36 million left on his contract after this season.
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Celtics boss Danny Ainge is already on record as saying he would trade anybody, and in fact he already had offered Rondo to the New Orleans Hornets in a trade for Chris Paul before the season. It doesn’t appear that the Celtics are a championship threat any longer and a trade of Rondo would bring back the most in return. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are both in the final years of their contracts and could be dealt but wouldn’t bring much in return. Paul Pierce has value even though his contract isn’t as friendly as Rondo’s and despite his age, but Pierce also could be moved.
Reports out of Boston are that Rondo’s attitude and work ethic changed after Boston traded Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City at the trade deadline a season ago. According to ESPN-com, “the Celtics find Rondo's personality to be too high-maintenance and his clashes with coach Doc Rivers remain an off-court distraction.” So now the team is “actively” trying to trade him.
The big rumor is Rondo going to the Los Angeles Lakers for Pau Gasol. A point guard could be the missing piece for the Lakers. The Golden State Warriors also have had interest in Rondo. The Orlando Magic could have interest to placate Dwight Howard and Rondo would be a major upgrade over Jameer Nelson – although it’s hard to see Orlando having the pieces to send Boston.
Rondo played one of his best games of the season on Wednesday, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading third triple-double of the season. He also completely shut down Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings as the Celtics won their second in a row to start the second half of the season to pull back to .500 at 17-17.
Rondo is averaging a career-high 14.1 points per game to go along with 9.6 assists and 1.6 steals. He has endured a difficult season with the trade rumors, an eight-game absence because of a sprained right wrist, and a two-game suspension for throwing the ball at an official. He has three years and $36 million left on his contract after this season.
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Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns have made short work of the Los Angeles Clippers in seasons past, dominating them both straight up and against the posted NBA betting lines. Can this year's new-look Clippers team take advantage of their favorable NBA futures and make some headway against their Pacific rival?
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The Clippers and Suns will meet on the hardwood for the first time this season on Friday night in Phoenix, with Los Angeles well ahead of the Suns in the Pacific Division standings – and in the Western Conference playoff race.
In fact, the Suns are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether for the second season in a row, seemingly wasting another All-Star campaign from point guard Nash.
The Suns last took on the Clippers last April when they won 111-98 at home as a 5.5-point favorite on the Bovada NBA lines. Nash didn't even play for Phoenix that night, sitting out the contest with flu-like symptoms while Grant Hill picked up a team-high 19 points. Blake Griffin was good for 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers in that losing cause.
Will this year's success then trump the Clippers' historical problems when facing the Suns? Los Angeles has won just once in its past 10 games against Phoenix, covering the posted spread at Bovada in only two of those 10 contests.
That lone Clippers win in recent years came in December 2010, when they pulled out a 108-103 victory and covered the spread as a 1-point home favorite in an OVER result. Totals bettors have seen the OVER/UNDER go 7-3 in the past 10 between the teams.
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The Clippers and Suns will meet on the hardwood for the first time this season on Friday night in Phoenix, with Los Angeles well ahead of the Suns in the Pacific Division standings – and in the Western Conference playoff race.
In fact, the Suns are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether for the second season in a row, seemingly wasting another All-Star campaign from point guard Nash.
The Suns last took on the Clippers last April when they won 111-98 at home as a 5.5-point favorite on the Bovada NBA lines. Nash didn't even play for Phoenix that night, sitting out the contest with flu-like symptoms while Grant Hill picked up a team-high 19 points. Blake Griffin was good for 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers in that losing cause.
Will this year's success then trump the Clippers' historical problems when facing the Suns? Los Angeles has won just once in its past 10 games against Phoenix, covering the posted spread at Bovada in only two of those 10 contests.
That lone Clippers win in recent years came in December 2010, when they pulled out a 108-103 victory and covered the spread as a 1-point home favorite in an OVER result. Totals bettors have seen the OVER/UNDER go 7-3 in the past 10 between the teams.
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The Dallas Mavericks have already fallen victim to Jeremy Lin once this season. They'll be looking to avoid that fate for a second time on Tuesday night when they play host to the New York Knicks on Bovada’s NBA betting odds.
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Lin poured in 28 points and picked up 14 assists on February 19 as the Knicks got past the Mavericks 104-97 at Madison Square Garden as a two-point home underdog. That meeting turned out to be an OVER result for those playing the NBA betting lines.
The Mavs held Amar’e Stoudemire to just 11 points and seven rebounds in that contest, but Tyson Chandler picked up some of the slack with 14 points and 10 boards. J.R. Smith and Steve Novak combined for 29 points off the bench for New York, while Carmelo Anthony hadn't yet returned to action from his injury.
Dirk Nowitzki poured in 34 points in that losing cause for Dallas, with Shawn Marion scoring 14 points and Jason Terry good for 13 points and six assists off the bench.
Overall the Knicks have won just two of their past 10 games against the Mavericks, covering the spread in four of those contests. The OVER/UNDER went 7-3 in those 10 games, with the OVER on a five-game run in Knicks/Mavericks matchups.
Lin will be looking for a better performance against Dallas on Tuesday than the one he turned in against the Celtics on Sunday; he was held to 14 points and committed six turnovers in the team's 115-111 loss, getting dominated by Boston's Rajon Rondo.
Anthony had 25 points in that loss to the Celtics and Stoudemire scored 16 points.
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Lin poured in 28 points and picked up 14 assists on February 19 as the Knicks got past the Mavericks 104-97 at Madison Square Garden as a two-point home underdog. That meeting turned out to be an OVER result for those playing the NBA betting lines.
The Mavs held Amar’e Stoudemire to just 11 points and seven rebounds in that contest, but Tyson Chandler picked up some of the slack with 14 points and 10 boards. J.R. Smith and Steve Novak combined for 29 points off the bench for New York, while Carmelo Anthony hadn't yet returned to action from his injury.
Dirk Nowitzki poured in 34 points in that losing cause for Dallas, with Shawn Marion scoring 14 points and Jason Terry good for 13 points and six assists off the bench.
Overall the Knicks have won just two of their past 10 games against the Mavericks, covering the spread in four of those contests. The OVER/UNDER went 7-3 in those 10 games, with the OVER on a five-game run in Knicks/Mavericks matchups.
Lin will be looking for a better performance against Dallas on Tuesday than the one he turned in against the Celtics on Sunday; he was held to 14 points and committed six turnovers in the team's 115-111 loss, getting dominated by Boston's Rajon Rondo.
Anthony had 25 points in that loss to the Celtics and Stoudemire scored 16 points.
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Closing in on the Philadelphia 76ers in the Atlantic Division standings and NBA betting lines, the Boston Celtics will get a chance to tag their rival with a loss on Wednesday night in Philly when those teams hit the hardwood.
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Philadelphia had a solid lead in the Atlantic Division standings a couple of weeks ago, but the Celtics have whittled down that advantage and the Sixers enter Wednesday's matchup riding a two-game losing streak.
The Sixers were beaten 96-91 at home by the Bulls on Sunday, then travelled to Milwaukee and got knocked off 97-93 on the road by the Bucks in their last game on Monday night.
Louis Williams led the way with 26 points off the bench for Philadelphia in that losing cause, with Andre Iguodala scoring 16 points, and Thaddeus Young adding 14 points while picking up 13 rebounds. Elton Brand was held to just six points in the loss.
As well, the trends aren't on Philadelphia's side for a straight-up win against Boston on Wednesday night, as they've only beaten the Celtics twice over the past 10 games between the two teams. The news is better for supporters of the Sixers ATS, however, as Philadelphia has covered the posted spread in six of their past 10 matchups with Boston.
The OVER/UNDER went 4-5-1 in the last 10 games between Philadelphia and Boston.
The Sixers and Celtics haven't met yet this season, last hitting the hardwood together last April when Boston won 99-82 at home as a 5.5-point favorite on the NBA odds.
Rajon Rondo led the way on offense for the Celtics in that win with 16 points and 13 assists, while Paul Pierce scored 18 points and Kevin Garnett had 14 points. Evan Turner paced the Sixers with a team-high 21 points in that losing cause.
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Philadelphia had a solid lead in the Atlantic Division standings a couple of weeks ago, but the Celtics have whittled down that advantage and the Sixers enter Wednesday's matchup riding a two-game losing streak.
The Sixers were beaten 96-91 at home by the Bulls on Sunday, then travelled to Milwaukee and got knocked off 97-93 on the road by the Bucks in their last game on Monday night.
Louis Williams led the way with 26 points off the bench for Philadelphia in that losing cause, with Andre Iguodala scoring 16 points, and Thaddeus Young adding 14 points while picking up 13 rebounds. Elton Brand was held to just six points in the loss.
As well, the trends aren't on Philadelphia's side for a straight-up win against Boston on Wednesday night, as they've only beaten the Celtics twice over the past 10 games between the two teams. The news is better for supporters of the Sixers ATS, however, as Philadelphia has covered the posted spread in six of their past 10 matchups with Boston.
The OVER/UNDER went 4-5-1 in the last 10 games between Philadelphia and Boston.
The Sixers and Celtics haven't met yet this season, last hitting the hardwood together last April when Boston won 99-82 at home as a 5.5-point favorite on the NBA odds.
Rajon Rondo led the way on offense for the Celtics in that win with 16 points and 13 assists, while Paul Pierce scored 18 points and Kevin Garnett had 14 points. Evan Turner paced the Sixers with a team-high 21 points in that losing cause.
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The Dallas Mavericks haven't lost to the Phoenix Suns in two years, and they'll try to keep that streak alive and pay off on the NBA betting lines late on Thursday night as the teams hit the hardwood down in Arizona.
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The Suns haven't managed to beat the Mavericks since January 2010, losing each of the last eight matchups between the Western Conference clubs. Dallas helped their supporters in those contests, going 8-0 ATS over that span.
The Mavericks and Suns met three times in January, with Dallas winning by scores of 98-89 and 93-87 at home and then picking up a 122-99 blowout victory in Phoenix the last time the teams met on January 30.
And Dallas only got 10 points from Dirk Nowitzki in that thumping of the Suns last time out, as Delonte West poured in a team-high 25 points off the bench. West, though, won't be on the floor on Thursday – he's out with a hand injury.
Vince Carter was good for 21 points for the Mavericks that day, with Shawn Marion adding 20 points and Rodrigue Beaubois contributing eight points and seven assists in the win.
The Suns didn't have Steve Nash in action in that defeat, as he sat out with a thigh injury. Marcin Gortat was the bright spot on offense for Phoenix, scoring 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds on the night. Jared Dudley added 15 points for the Suns in that loss.
Dallas finds itself back in the pack in the Southwest Division standings heading into Thursday's contest, and a cold stretch over the past two weeks has them in danger of slipping out of the Top 8 in the conference – where they would join the middling Suns.
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The Suns haven't managed to beat the Mavericks since January 2010, losing each of the last eight matchups between the Western Conference clubs. Dallas helped their supporters in those contests, going 8-0 ATS over that span.
The Mavericks and Suns met three times in January, with Dallas winning by scores of 98-89 and 93-87 at home and then picking up a 122-99 blowout victory in Phoenix the last time the teams met on January 30.
And Dallas only got 10 points from Dirk Nowitzki in that thumping of the Suns last time out, as Delonte West poured in a team-high 25 points off the bench. West, though, won't be on the floor on Thursday – he's out with a hand injury.
Vince Carter was good for 21 points for the Mavericks that day, with Shawn Marion adding 20 points and Rodrigue Beaubois contributing eight points and seven assists in the win.
The Suns didn't have Steve Nash in action in that defeat, as he sat out with a thigh injury. Marcin Gortat was the bright spot on offense for Phoenix, scoring 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds on the night. Jared Dudley added 15 points for the Suns in that loss.
Dallas finds itself back in the pack in the Southwest Division standings heading into Thursday's contest, and a cold stretch over the past two weeks has them in danger of slipping out of the Top 8 in the conference – where they would join the middling Suns.
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The Chicago Bulls will try to assert themselves against the Orlando Magic once again on Thursday night as they meet Dwight Howard and company for the second time this season, and if they do, the NBA betting lines will go crazy.
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The Bulls won 97-83 in Orlando in these teams’ first meeting on January 6, covering the spread as a two-point favorite in that UNDER result for totals bettors.
Luol Deng and Derrick Rose each scored 21 points for the Bulls in that January victory, with Rose also picking up 10 assists and eight rebounds in the contest. Carlos Boozer was good for 20 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago in that win.
Howard poured in a game-high 28 points and grabbed 15 boards for the Magic in that losing cause, with Jason Richardson adding 17 points on the day, and Hedo Turkoglu chipping in with 12 points and three assists.
That result marked Chicago's fourth-straight win over Orlando dating back to last season, and they're 6-4 in their last 10 games against the Magic. The Bulls and Magic have split their last 10 games 5-5 against the spread, with the OVER/UNDER going 3-7 in that span.
Chicago enters Thursday's matchup with a comfortable lead in the Central Division standings over the Indiana Pacers, and a smaller advantage on the Miami Heat in the race for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando hasn't been able to gain ground on the first-place Heat in the Southeast Division standings over the past few weeks, leaving them to jockey with the Pacers for third place in the Eastern Conference standings with two months left in the shortened season.
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The Bulls won 97-83 in Orlando in these teams’ first meeting on January 6, covering the spread as a two-point favorite in that UNDER result for totals bettors.
Luol Deng and Derrick Rose each scored 21 points for the Bulls in that January victory, with Rose also picking up 10 assists and eight rebounds in the contest. Carlos Boozer was good for 20 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago in that win.
Howard poured in a game-high 28 points and grabbed 15 boards for the Magic in that losing cause, with Jason Richardson adding 17 points on the day, and Hedo Turkoglu chipping in with 12 points and three assists.
That result marked Chicago's fourth-straight win over Orlando dating back to last season, and they're 6-4 in their last 10 games against the Magic. The Bulls and Magic have split their last 10 games 5-5 against the spread, with the OVER/UNDER going 3-7 in that span.
Chicago enters Thursday's matchup with a comfortable lead in the Central Division standings over the Indiana Pacers, and a smaller advantage on the Miami Heat in the race for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando hasn't been able to gain ground on the first-place Heat in the Southeast Division standings over the past few weeks, leaving them to jockey with the Pacers for third place in the Eastern Conference standings with two months left in the shortened season.
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The NBA’s trading deadline arrives at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday and one guy who seems almost a lock to be on the move is super-talented but inconsistent Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith, who has been asked to be dealt.
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Smith is having an All-Star-caliber season. The 6-foot-9, 225-pounder is averaging 17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks this season. He has been even better of late, averaging 23.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.8 bpg in the past five. Smith has one year left on his contract after this season at $13.2 million, but he doesn’t think the Hawks will extend him and he’s probably right. This is the third season in a row Smith has asked to be traded.
Atlanta is 23-16 entering Friday’s game at Detroit. The Hawks are one of those teams that aren’t good enough to really contend but not bad enough to rebuild with a high lottery pick. And they aren't going anywhere this season with Al Horford likely done for the year. The Hawks really need a go-to player because it’s clear that Joe Johnson isn’t that player even though he is paid like one.
Several teams have been linked to the 26-year-old Smith, including the Boston Celtics, who desperately need to get younger and more athletic. Smith is both of those things, although he sometimes takes plays if not games off and attempts questionable shots at times. Smith isn’t a good jump shooter, which he settles for too often, and his free throw percentage is down to 57.7 percent this year after a career-high 72.5 percent a year ago. His emotional demeanor on the court has caused friction with teammates at times.
A rumored trade has Smith going to Beantown for Rajon Rondo. Or to the L.A. Lakers for Pau Gasol. The Orlando Magic would love to put him next to Dwight Howard. The Golden State Warriors and New Jersey Nets also have made inquiries. But any Smith trade to a contender (which Golden State and New Jersey aren’t) could be the first domino to set off other big trades before Thursday’s deadline.
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Smith is having an All-Star-caliber season. The 6-foot-9, 225-pounder is averaging 17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks this season. He has been even better of late, averaging 23.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.8 bpg in the past five. Smith has one year left on his contract after this season at $13.2 million, but he doesn’t think the Hawks will extend him and he’s probably right. This is the third season in a row Smith has asked to be traded.
Atlanta is 23-16 entering Friday’s game at Detroit. The Hawks are one of those teams that aren’t good enough to really contend but not bad enough to rebuild with a high lottery pick. And they aren't going anywhere this season with Al Horford likely done for the year. The Hawks really need a go-to player because it’s clear that Joe Johnson isn’t that player even though he is paid like one.
Several teams have been linked to the 26-year-old Smith, including the Boston Celtics, who desperately need to get younger and more athletic. Smith is both of those things, although he sometimes takes plays if not games off and attempts questionable shots at times. Smith isn’t a good jump shooter, which he settles for too often, and his free throw percentage is down to 57.7 percent this year after a career-high 72.5 percent a year ago. His emotional demeanor on the court has caused friction with teammates at times.
A rumored trade has Smith going to Beantown for Rajon Rondo. Or to the L.A. Lakers for Pau Gasol. The Orlando Magic would love to put him next to Dwight Howard. The Golden State Warriors and New Jersey Nets also have made inquiries. But any Smith trade to a contender (which Golden State and New Jersey aren’t) could be the first domino to set off other big trades before Thursday’s deadline.
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It’s a good news/bad news deal for Boston tonight. Point guard Rajon Rondo will miss his second and final game due to suspension. But forward/center Kevin Garnett, who has missed the last three games because of an illness in his family, is expected to play. The C’s need him against the OKC frontline of Kendrick Perkins, the former Celtic, and Serge Ibaka because Boston power forward Brandon Bass remains out with an injury. And both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have struggled to get open looks in the past three games Garnett has missed. Pierce is 19-of-40 shooting, while Allen is 15-of-39. In this four-game skid, Boston has lost three by double digits and the other by 9.
The Thunder are rolling right along. They have won three in a row and five of six and are tied with the Miami Heat for the NBA's best record. OKC enters off a 101-93 win over New Orleans on Monday to improve to 13-1 at home and win its 10th straight there. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook each had 31 against the Hornets, one night after Durant had a career-high 51 and Westbrook had 40 in an overtime win over Denver.
The Thunder and Celtics met Jan. 16 in Boston, with Oklahoma City winning 97-88 behind a combined 54 from Durant and Westbrook. Pierce led Boston with 24, while Rondo nearly had a triple-double with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists.
The Celtics are 0-5 ATS in their past five road games. OKC is 1-4 ATS in past five after a win. The road team has covered the past five in this series.